Bronte Wells
Louisiana, a state in the United States, is still struggling with pollution. The state has ranked second in toxic emissions almost every year since 1988, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began requiring industries to tally their pollution. Louisiana's industrial region, known as Cancer Alley, is an 85-mile stretch of chemical plants along the Mississippi River, and it is the greatest cancer hotspot in the United States. The air in Cancer Alley is likely more toxic than previously thought, with recent research revealing levels of ethylene oxide more than 1,000 times higher than previously measured. The state and federal governments have been criticized for failing to protect the health and environmental rights of Louisiana residents, with the EPA facing particular scrutiny for not adequately enforcing federal laws and mandates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Air pollution | High levels of toxic gases, including ethylene oxide and chloroprene |
| Water pollution | Hazardous wastes dumped in open pits, threatening drinking water sources and groundwater |
| Health impacts | Increased risk of cancer, respiratory ailments, maternal and reproductive health issues, low birth weight, preterm birth, miscarriage, infertility |
| Environmental injustices | Failure to address harms of fossil fuel and petrochemical operations, enforce minimum standards, and protect vulnerable communities |
| Industrial activity | Presence of chemical plants, fossil fuel, and petrochemical operations |
| Government response | Inadequate enforcement of laws and protection of residents' health and human rights |
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What You'll Learn
Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
Ethylene oxide is primarily used in plastic production and is linked to multiple cancers, DNA damage, lung injury, and other serious health issues, even at low levels of exposure. The route of exposure is usually inhalation, and the gas has been detected up to seven miles from some facilities, indicating a significant health threat to residents and workers in the region, especially children.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working with the owner of the neoprene plant in LaPlace, Denka Performance Elastomer, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to reduce chloroprene emissions by 85%. However, some residents are skeptical, believing that emissions should be reduced to 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air, which is considered a safe level by the EPA.
The Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA) has refuted claims that residents of Cancer Alley have a higher risk of developing cancer, citing data from the Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR) to support their claims. The LTR has not shown any clear cluster of cancer cases in the river region, which state officials point to as evidence that the plants pose no health risk. However, the tumor registry does not rule out the possibility of clusters, and EPA modeling indicates ample reason for concern.
The state of Louisiana has approved several new petrochemical facilities and expansions in the river corridor, with more major projects awaiting approval. These facilities will be built in predominantly black and poor communities, and some of the heaviest polluters will be located just outside St. Gabriel, which already has some of Louisiana's most toxic air.
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Fossil fuel and petrochemical pollution
Louisiana is heavily polluted by the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries. The state has ranked second in toxic emissions almost every year since 1988, when the EPA began requiring industries to tally their pollution. In 1988, Louisiana's petrochemical plants released nearly 1 billion pounds of hazardous waste, or about 238 pounds for every person in the state.
The stretch of communities along the banks of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, known as Cancer Alley, is home to approximately 200 fossil fuel and petrochemical operations—reportedly the largest concentration of such plants in the Western Hemisphere. The air in Cancer Alley is likely more toxic than previously thought, with levels of ethylene oxide more than 1,000 times higher than previously measured. Ethylene oxide is a highly carcinogenic gas primarily used in plastic production and emitted from industrial plants. Exposure to this gas, even at low levels, is linked to multiple cancers, DNA damage, lung injury, and other serious health issues.
The residents of Cancer Alley face significant health risks as a result of emissions from these plants. According to Human Rights Watch, the area has the highest risk of cancer from industrial air pollution in the US, more than seven times the national average. The health harms also include reproductive, maternal, and newborn issues, as well as respiratory ailments. These harms disproportionately affect the area's Black and low-income residents.
Louisiana's economic development tools continue to support the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries, with recent expansions and new investments in these sectors. The state's environmental regulatory body, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), has repeatedly failed to address the harms of these industries, enforce federal standards, and protect the environment and human health. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also failed to ensure that federal laws and mandates are enforced in the state.
Despite some improvements in reducing onsite emissions in the early 2000s, Louisiana's efforts to reduce pollution have stalled. In 2017, releases of toxic chemicals were on the rise again, up 17% from 2009. The state's chemical plants have disposed of millions of pounds of chemicals, threatening freshwater aquifers and groundwater across the state. Louisiana's petrochemical industry is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane.
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Maternal and reproductive health harms
Louisiana is still polluted, and this pollution is having a significant impact on the maternal and reproductive health of its residents. The state's failure to regulate the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries has led to extreme pollution levels, with severe consequences for the health of pregnant people and their children.
A recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Health has, for the first time, examined the link between toxic air pollution and adverse birth outcomes in Louisiana. The study found a strong correlation between polluted air and low birth weight and preterm births, with residents in severely polluted areas facing a 25% higher risk of low birth weight and a 36% higher risk of preterm birth compared to those in unpolluted areas. These findings are particularly concerning given that Louisiana already has one of the highest rates of low birth weight and preterm births in the country.
The impact of pollution on maternal and reproductive health in Louisiana is not limited to birth outcomes. Antonia Juhasz, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, has interviewed residents about their experiences with pregnancy and reproductive health. She found that pollution has impacted everything from infertility and menstrual cycles to miscarriage, stillbirth, and high-risk pregnancies. These issues are disproportionately affecting the area's Black residents, who are already marginalized communities.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been criticized for its failure to ensure that federal laws and mandates are enforced in Louisiana, leaving residents unprotected from the harmful effects of pollution. The state government, particularly the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), has also been accused of repeatedly failing to address the harms of the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries and enforce minimum federal standards.
The good news is that activists like Sharon Lavigne and the sisters Jo and Joy Banner are stepping up to advocate for their community's health and environmental justice. Their work, along with that of organizations like Human Rights Watch, is bringing attention to the devastating impact of pollution on maternal and reproductive health in Louisiana and the urgent need for better regulation and protection for residents.
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Inadequate federal oversight
Louisiana, particularly the area known as "Cancer Alley", has long been plagued by toxic emissions from the petrochemical and fossil fuel industries. The state has consistently ranked among the most polluting states in the country, with residents bearing the brunt of severe health consequences. Despite this, there has been a glaring lack of effective federal oversight to address the issue.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been criticised for failing to adequately enforce federal laws and mandates in Louisiana, thereby neglecting its duty to protect the environment and the health of Louisiana residents. This failure has been attributed not to a lack of effort but rather to a fear of conservative courts stripping its enforcement powers. As a result, the EPA has been hesitant to take aggressive action against polluting industries in the state.
The absence of robust federal intervention is further exacerbated by the inaction of the state government, which has shown little interest in holding polluters accountable or prioritising the well-being of its citizens. Instead, Louisiana's political leadership, including Governor Jeff Landry, has been accused of being closely aligned with the fossil fuel industry, even appointing a fossil fuel executive as the head of the state's Department of Energy and Natural Resources.
The consequences of this inadequate federal oversight are dire. Residents of Cancer Alley, a stretch of communities along the Mississippi River, have reported various health issues, including cancer diagnoses, maternal and reproductive health harms, and severe respiratory ailments. The area has become synonymous with environmental injustice, with the predominantly lower-income and African American residents bearing the brunt of the pollution's impact.
The situation in Louisiana underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations and a commitment to holding polluters accountable. Without a strong federal presence, the health and well-being of Louisiana residents will continue to be at risk, perpetuating the cycle of environmental racism and injustice that has plagued the state for decades.
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Environmental racism
Louisiana is still polluted, and environmental racism plays a significant role in the state's predominantly Black parishes and much of America. Environmental racism in Louisiana, specifically in the area known as "Cancer Alley," has been widely recognised and condemned by the United Nations and human rights experts.
Cancer Alley
Cancer Alley, located along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, is home to over 150 highly polluting petrochemical operations, refineries, and chemical facilities. The area has been dubbed Death Alley due to the severe health impacts on the residents of the mostly African American communities in St. James Parish. These include elevated rates of cancer, respiratory diseases, maternal, reproductive, and newborn health issues, and other health problems caused by air and water pollution.
Impact of Pollution
The ever-widening corridor of petrochemical plants has not only polluted the surrounding environment but has also led to the destruction of ancestral burial grounds and cultural sites. The health impacts of pollution disproportionately affect the African American descendants of enslaved people who once worked the land and are now primary victims of the deadly environmental pollution.
Activism and Legal Action
Community leaders and activists in Louisiana have led the charge in protesting the expansion of the petrochemical industry in Cancer Alley, addressing racial and economic disparities, and calling for environmental justice. In 1998, residents of Convent successfully pressured Shintech Inc. to withdraw its plans to build three new PVC manufacturing plants in the majority-Black community.
In March 2023, a civil rights lawsuit was filed in St. James Parish, alleging racial discrimination in the petrochemical buildout in the region. The lawsuit calls for a moratorium on the construction and expansion of petrochemical plants, as the facilities are authorised in a way that "desecrates, destroys, and restricts access" to the cemeteries and cultural sites of historical significance to the African American community.
Official Responses
In January 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order regarding environmental justice, specifically citing Cancer Alley as a hard-hit area. Biden's order pledges to protect public health and the environment, strengthen clean air and water protections, and hold polluters accountable.
Despite these efforts, Louisiana and Texas GOP representatives have rejected the concept of environmental racism. Rep. Garret Graves, a Louisiana Republican, argued against directly targeting emissions and instead proposed strategies based on emissions reduction without endorsing specific policies or technologies to achieve this goal.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Louisiana is still polluted. The state has ranked no. 2 in toxic emissions almost every year since 1988 and is known for its highly polluted "Cancer Alley", an 85-mile stretch of chemical plants along the Mississippi River.
Cancer Alley is an area in southeastern Louisiana, stretching from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. It is known for its high levels of toxic air pollution, particularly ethylene oxide, which is linked to multiple cancers, DNA damage, lung injury, and other serious health issues.
Efforts to reduce pollution in Louisiana have stalled in recent years, and the state government has been criticized for failing to protect its residents from environmental poisons. However, legal action can be taken against industries that contribute to harmful living conditions, and there have been calls for the development of closed-system production facilities that do not dispose of waste into the environment.
